Saint Faustina

To send today's card: Feast of Saint Faustina

Quote for the Day: "Jesus, I love you, I trust in you." St. Faustina

Friday,

The Feast of Saint Faustina,

I have to tell you something that is cool upon cool upon cool. It just happened to me right this minute! I am working on making a card for tomorrow for the feast of Saint Faustina... and so I found a beautiful picture but for the life of me I could not find the official prayer for her. So anyway.. I looked hither and yon and finally decided to check out the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) site. Zilcho. So I looked around some more on the site and just by chance my eye fell on a line that said, "When the Holy Spirit says "Go".... I go and when the Holy Spirit says, "Stop"... I stop." Well that sounded something like I would like to read.. so I went to the link. There I found a most interesting story by a young seminarian (at the time of the writing) from Lativa. I read the whole article - just because I found it was interesting... and guess what? At the very, very end is an amazing fact about this priest and Saint Faustina!

To me, it seems like a blessing from her... cool....cool.... cool.... . because the link did not seem to have anything at all to do with Saint Faustina... and I was just taking a supposedly break in my search because the article sounded interesting.. and it had a Faustina message! Here is the link if you want to read the story. When the Holy Spirit says "Go."

I love the Divine Mercy prayer, "Jesus, I love you , I trust in you." Whenever I have something that I am really worried or upset about.. this prayer always, and always helps me out. That and the "Hail Mary" are my mainstays.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia and all the Sisters

The Confession Connection Preparing for Confession: Taking Your Spiritual Temperature by Fr. Thomas M Casey. Day Seven: Some family History on Reconciliation As a result of this demanding tradition, which was allowed only once in one's lifetime, most persons who intended to become Christians would wait until they thought they were near death and then ask to be baptized. In this way, they had their sins forgiven. It seems that most Christians did not consider themselves either great saints or great sinners, and they simply avoided the rigors of public penance through the more usual means of prayer, giving alms, fasting and attending the eucharistic liturgy. to be continued A selected article from "101 Inspirational Stories of the Sacrament of Reconciliation."

Novena to St Therese and Confession!

I hope you will join with me on this novena...I know its pretty close after just finishing the last one.. But I know of many great results from praying to St. Therese! So....

Guess what? A really great article just came out on confession.. in of all places the Wall Street Journal! This is the article that I was contacted by the reporter for.. I didn't make it into print.. but the article is really good!

Would you work with me in making it a popular article? If you go and read it... and encourage your friends to do it... we can make an article on confession a much bigger splash! I think they keep track of all the people who go to the page and read it.

One thing that I find interesting in the article is the number of other Christians churches besides Catholic that are encouraging "confession." That's kind of a breakthrough I think.

Here's the link to the article. Confession Makes a Comeback

I am going to make my main intention with this novena that Confession does indeed make a comeback!

Blessings of Peace and all Good!
Sister Patricia

Wednesday - Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

To send this card: Assumption of Mary

More Cards of the Assumption

Quote for the Day: Personal prayer, it seems to me, is one of the simplest necessities of life, as basic to the individual as sunshine, food and water-- and at times, of course, more so. By prayer I mean an effort to get in touch with the Infinite. We know that our prayers are imperfect. Of course they are. We are imperfect human beings. A thousand experiences have convinced me beyond room of doubt that prayer multiplies the strength of the individual and brings within the scope of his capabilities almost any conceivable objective. . Dwight D. Eisenhower

Wednesday

Miracles of miracles. I think they happen when we turn ourselves completely over to God. The more we surrender the outcome of things to God - the more we will be amazed at what God does.

It is very funny. I love reading marketing books. Because they are mostly positive and give one all sorts of ideas to try new things. But lately I have found that one thing they advise doesn't work so well for me.

It's called planning. I love to plan. Its sort of a game... but most of my plans fizzle...YET... when I pray in the morning and let God have complete, overwhelming control of my day.... when I allow myself not to plan but to live in God's plan.

Then...

amazing, wonderful things happen.

Today, I had a journalist call about a story she is working on for confession. She found my web site and wanted to ask me some questions. She asked me about the Confession workbook and if I knew anyone who had used it and would be willing to talk to her about the results. Hmmm? Anyone interested? Send Me an Email.

Even if you don't want to talk to the journalist.. I would surely love to hear from anyone who likes the book or workbook on Reconciliation and would be willing to share their thoughts on my website. ..Please.. and Thank you and God Bless You and Oh.. now it's time for night prayer....How did it get to be this late?

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia

The Confession Connection The Sacrament of Reconciliation: Celebrating God's Forgiveness by Sandra DeGidio, O.S.M. Day One: Introduction The well-known parable of the prodigal son is perhaps the most strikingly powerful illustration of the human process of reconciliation, and of the theology inherent in the new rite of reconciliation. But many of us find it difficult to believe the story (see Luke 15:11-32). The father welcomes the son back instantly—doesn't even wait for him to get to the house. And he isn't at all interested in the young man's confession, only in celebrating. This is not the way we Catholics have viewed the sacrament of reconciliation. Even with the new rite, most of us tend to view this sacrament with the attitude of the older son in the story: Forgiveness comes only after you recite your list of sins, agree to suffer a bit for them, do something to make up for your offenses, give some guarantee you won't commit the same sins again, and prove yourself worthy to join the rest of us who haven't been so foolish! But God really is like the merciful parent in this parable: not out to catch us in our sin but intent on reaching out and hanging on to us in spite of our sin. Reconciliation (and the new rite is careful to point this out) is not just a matter of getting rid of sin. Nor is its dominant concern what we, the penitents, do. The important point is what God does in, with and through us. To be continued A selected article from "101 Inspirational Stories of the Sacrament of Reconciliation."

Tasty Tuesday -

To send this card: Teresa of the Child Jesus and John of the Cross

Quote for the Day: They are too attached to their honor. . . .These souls, for the most part, grieve over anything said against them. They do not embrace the cross but drag it along, and so it hurts and wearies them and breaks them to pieces. However, if the cross is loved, it is easy to bear, this is certain. St Teresa of Avila

Tasty Tuesday

I just finished the newsletter for our community! Now it can go off to the printer in the morning and I can go off to bed. Hurray. Hurray.

It's only several months late - should have had a Spring newsletter.. and an earlier Summer newsletter but, life just gets in the way of living sometimes.

Tomorrow with a bit of luck - I will make it into a pdf and share it with you. At least those of you who can use pdf's.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia

The Confession Connection O Happy Fault: A Confession of Hidden Sin by Vinny Flynn Day Two: "Oh, come on now," you say, "It's not a sin to be unhappy! Everybody gets unhappy." Yes, Everybody gets unhappy. And it is sin. Dangerous sin, because it's habit-forming, extremely contagious, and seldom diagnosed as sin. It's usually viewed as something like a cold—it just happens to us, and we have to endure it until it goes away. We don't really have any control over it. But that's a lie. Part of the Great Lie. We do have control over it. My unhappiness is not caused by something that happens to me. It is caused by my response to something that happens, a response generated by my attitude, my way of looking at things. Is my glass half full? Or is it half empty? It's a matter of perception, and the way I choose to perceive things determines my emotional response to them. (to be continued tomorrow) From one of twelve articles on confession found in the book, "101 Inspirational Stories of the Sacrament of Reconciliation."

----------------------------------------------------------
Tasty Tip of the Week

from Barbara George
----------------------------------------------------------

Freezer Burn

Not too tasty but a serious problem and source of food waste.

If you’re having trouble with things in your freezer suffering from freezer burn you may have a problem with the seal on the door. Freezer burn can develop from warming and then refreezing of frozen foods. There may be too many items crowding the door and causing the door to shut wrong. Or...you may need a new gasket. Here’s a trick from my dad, the refrigerator repairman:

Take a dollar bill and close it in the door so half is sticking out. If you can easily pull the bill out with the door closed, you may need a new gasket. Try it several different places around the door seal. A new gasket is easy to replace and can save you a lot of money in lost food.

Keep it cool. Keep it safe. Happy Tuesday!

Miraculous Monday - A Confession of Hidden Sin

To send this card: Have a Nice Day

Quote for the Day: There is no sinner in the world, however much at enmity with God, who cannot recover God's grace by recourse to Mary, and by asking her assistance. St. Bridget of Sweden

Miraculous Monday

Today after dinner as we were doing the dishes we got to talking about what we would like to do or see in heaven. Of course we haven't a clue what heaven will be really like, but that didn't stop us from faithful imaginations. Anyway we were discussing how exciting it would be to view the life stories of different people... and since there are so many billions of them.. that ought to keep us occupied for a good long while.

Because each and every one of us has a beautiful faith journey. I know each one of us is a beautiful chapter in God's book of how salvation is played out so uniquely and beautifully. It occurred to me now, that it is probably only in heaven that we will see where the real miracles in our life occurred. What we take as a normal day - with quiet ordinary things happening.. and who knows what tragedies our angels might have diverted from us that we never knew about? Who knows what opportunities came to us by the way of prayers we prayed long ago or someone else prayed for us?

I remember reading some big events in history - where the fate of millions hung in the balance and except for a few key people in top positions who knew how perilous the situation was - the rest of mankind just went blithely on its way without a clue. Amazing huh?

I mean we don't even know how many huge comets were quietly redirected from collision that could have wiped us out yesterday.

Basically God does have the whole world in his hands - and the final showing of salvation will leave us speechless.

Blessings of Peace and All Good,
Sister Patricia

The Confession Connection O Happy Fault: A Confession of Hidden Sin by Vinny Flynn I have a confession to make. A real confession. Of real sin. I have a great sin that has lain hidden in me for a long time, unrecognized, unconfessed, unrepented. It's not your common, everyday brand of sin—not included in the usual list: pride, greed, jealousy, immorality, drunkenness, stealing, etc. These are easier to recognize, easier to fight against. This sin is different. It's like a traitor within me, lying in wait to jump out and trip me up, over and over again. It has become like a cancer, living and growing inside me, dragging me down, away from God, and dragging others with me. So I need to expose it, to confess it publicly to all who will listen. And I'm not afraid to confess it to you, because you have sinned in the same way. The sin is this: I have been unhappy! Repeatedly—at the slightest provocation—unhappy! (to be continued tomorrow) From one of twelve articles on confession found in the book, "101 Inspirational Stories of the Sacrament of Reconciliation."

Confession Connection -

To send this card: To Enjoy Life

Quote for the Day: Faith leads us beyond ourselves. It leads us directly to God. Pope John Paul II

Sorry about not sending out a JoyNotes for Thursday.... I started on it.. but heat and life and a healthy dose of procrastination and before long I just went to bed!

I have to tell you about a plan I am working on. It's called... "Let's make "101 Inspirational Stories of the Sacrament of Reconciliation" a bestseller. You see, the book is selling... but only in little bits but I believe this is the most powerful book I have put together. The most life-changing book. But.... it's not easy to push.. because nobody... including me sometimes wants to go to confession!

A lot of us (I was there at the top of the list) don't understand how powerful this sacrament is. We don't realize . . . .

How confession can help us to be a better person.

How it can help us to become a more loving and lovable person.

How it can help us to have greater peace and acceptance in our lives.

How it can help us to feel better about ourselves.

How it can help us to develop more trust and confidence in God’s love and care for us.

How it can help us to do better work.

How it can help us to concentrate better and be more effective in everything we do.

How it can help us to use our talents and gifts more powerfully.

How it can help us to become more bold and courageous in our life.

And most of all... the biggest point of all... is that going to confession....

Allows God to Be more Present in our lives.

So..... prepare your souls... because for the next 18 days I am going to be sharing with you

Just what this book can do for you.

Call it sales talk... pushy.... whatever..... but I'm coming out of the closet and will be shouting out loud ..... just how life-changing and powerful this sacrament is.

AND - SO

during the month of August... I'm going to make a very special deal.....

for everyone who will pray one rosary for the success of promoting the Sacrament of Confession

I will offer the book for only $5.00.

Every rosary you pray - you can get a book for that amount during the month of August.

I am so convinced that the Rosary book did so well because of the hundreds of rosaries that were prayed for its success... and so I'm going begging again for prayerful suport.


Blessings of Peace and all Good,
Sister Patricia

I am changing the Mini Retreat for the rest of this summer to the "Confession Connection." The "Mini Retreat" will continue in October.

The Confession Connection First of Four Points to Rediscover the Power of The Sacrament of Reconciliation in our lives by the Most Reverend William S. Skylstad, Bishop of Spokane First, we need forgiveness. Every one of us is a sinner, and we know it. At the beginning of every Eucharist, we acknowledge our sinfulness and proclaim God's mercy with one of several forms of the Penitential Rite. During the Our Father, we pray, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us . . . ." The redeeming and forgiving presence of Jesus is always with us. Again and again, we can return—yes, and we need to return—to the wonderful gift of this sacrament, seeking forgiveness and healing with a spirit of gratitude and joy. From the Introduction of "101 Inspirational Stories of the Sacrament of Reconciliation."